Petals of the Hands
by Miss Leanne
Summary: Cloud and Tifa's reunion amongst the flowers in Aerith's church post AC/ACC. Written for Spring Kinkfest 2011.


_He spent two years of his life sleeping here, _Tifa thought. She scanned the unilluminated stained glass windows, the half-shredded ceiling, the rotting pews and floorboards, and a large patch of calla lilies glowing in the middle of the church without the help of any natural light._ It's quiet, but it'd be too quiet for me._ And maybe that's what he had needed then. But it had done so much damage to their relationship – they had lost a connection that Tifa had once thought unbreakable. She'd be a fool to say that it didn't hurt, even eight months after Cloud, Denzel, and the other children had been healed.

She sat down in the patch of lillies. Blowing gently on a group, she gazed as if fascinated at their light motion in reaction to her breath. She breathed in their scent.

_The sweep and swirl of pink_.

Tifa flopped backwards into the patch, arms spread, and sighed. _Perhaps I shall sleep here tonight,_ she thought. _One night won't hurt. _

The sound of the wind whistling through the shattered rafters, the stars spinning in the courses over her head and her peripheral vision framed with white calla lilies began to lull her to sleep. The scent of the flowers permeated her lungs – she could almost taste their smell. Tifa's eyelids slowly dropped shut.

The opened again, lazily, when she detected the sound of very light footsteps on the creaking wooden floor. If she were to judge by their tempo, they were servant to one who knew his way around this building very well. And she knew it was a "he" – his heel was firmly put forth before planting the rest of his foot down; something that a specific "he" would do. She rolled her eyes again when she saw the top of a blonde head. _Nothing to fear_.

Tifa looked through slitted eyelids as Cloud kicked off his boots and slid belly first into the flower patch. He came to rest by her side, their heads even with one another. She felt his eyes on her face without opening her own.

"What are you doing here so late at night?" He inquired.

"Someone told me once to walk a mile in someone else's shoes," Tifa replied. "I'm walking in yours tonight."

He made a thoughtful noise and laid his head down on his folded arms.

It was some time before either spoke again.

"And what is it like to walk in another's shoes?" Cloud asked.

"In yours – I'd say it was fairly lonely," Tifa replied. Cloud didn't respond.

And yet, while he had never been physically there for her, he had always just been a phone call away. She knew he heard the voicemails she left and read the texts she sent. He had constantly asked after Denzel's progress and spoken with Marlene on the phone. Cloud had supported her with the money he made from his deliveries, and several times, had left groceries on her kitchen counter without any warning. He never left a trace of his presence, but she knew it was him. She just wished that he had shared his burdens with her instead of carrying them alone.

On impulse, she rolled onto her side and gave his cheek a quick kiss. Cloud smiled, but did not seem surprised. Tifa laid back down on her back, but Cloud shifted to slip his around her and drew close to her body. Tifa closed her eyes and relished the warmth of his body through their clothes.

She wanted to kiss him again, but something in her hesitated. If things progressed beyond a chaste kiss, how far would it go? She hadn't slept with him in almost three years; would he even want to make love with her?

Cloud answered her questions for her. Leaning over, he touched his soft, warm lips to hers, cradling her chin and body.

_Oh, heavens, that was good…if he doesn't want to go further than that, I don't know how I'll stop, _Tifa thought.

He rested his forehead on her brow.

"I love you," he said, very quietly.

_I love _you! Tifa's mind shouted as she wrapped her arms his neck and kissed him for all she was worth. His body was so soft and yielding, spooning around her, unlike when in battle. Their kisses reminded her of a simpler time when things has not yet become so complicated and heavy.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Tifa barely registered the presence of a smile framed by tiny dimples. The lilies around her and Cloud renewed their fragrance. She felt the lilies graze her shoulders, sides, legs and feet and felt their silky petals against her bare neck and ears.

Though his body was soft over her, she felt an especially hot hardness against her thigh. _So, maybe…he does want…? _Tentatively, she reached around and under his bottom and touched him between his legs, as if to make sure. When her fingers grazed the base of his erection, Cloud moaned through their kiss into her mouth. Tifa felt her core suddenly become hot.

"Are you done walking in my shoes?" Cloud asked playfully.

"Why would I be done?" Tifa replied with the same tone. "I don't ever want to stop."

Cloud looked at her in amazement for a moment before kissing her more passionately before.

"Thank you," he whispered. "Thank you for never leaving me." He slid his tongue into her mouth – Tifa moaned in surprise and pleasure.

When she moved to lift his shirt off, he put her hands down among the lilies. "Let me," he said and moved her blouse up around her neck. Despite the fact that her brain remembered that they had seen one another naked before, she could not avoid a flush of embarrassment across her cheeks and chest. Tifa averted her eyes and covered her chest with her hands. Cloud gently removed her hands and laid them down once again.

"We've waited so long," he murmured against the skin of her throat. "And I want to see all of you."

She made a sound of agreement as he laid his open palm against her breast. Warm, all encompassing and comforting, she arched into his hand. Tifa managed to find the hem of his shift and lift it over his head. Cloud made no move to stop her this time. Instead, he seemed to encourage her by tickling her nipple with the pad of her finger, his glowing eyes watching every emotion and twist of arousal flit across her face.

Tifa opened her mouth for another kiss and before he had time to lean over, a moan slipped out. She squirmed for more of his ministrations on her breasts, pressing his hands and fingers over the places where she needed it most. Cloud took her hands away.

"Young lady," he said with a small grin. "If you keep misbehaving, I shall have to find a way to restrain you."

Tifa blushed furiously and squeezed her eyes shut, grinning. "It's just...not enough," she panted.

"In due time," he replied.

He kissed her jawline, kissed her throat and shoulders. Cloud kissed the skin of her collarbone and spread his tongue across her breasts, running across her nipples _just _right. She moaned from behind clenched teeth, her hips thrusting up towards his and her head leaned back.

Tifa grabbed Cloud's head down and captured his mouth, touching his tongue with hers.

"Mine," she whispered. Cloud smiled and kissed her belly.

She felt the tug of his hands on her pants and she lifted her bottom, giving him space to slip them off.

"Now you," she said, reaching for his pants. With his priapic nature, they looked uncomfortable.

He swatted her hands away – Tifa looked askance.

"Wait. Trust me," Cloud said.

He picked a lily and kissed it. He set it to the tender, heated skin between her neck and shoulder and trailed it down her body, between her breasts and over her belly, paying special attention to her navel. Tifa's body tensed with burgeoning arousal. She wanted to feel him inside her – it had been far too long. _And – dare I say it? – I want him inside me, _Tifa thought. She ducked her head in embarrassment at the thought.

Cloud saw her face. "What are you thinking?" He pressed with a knowing smile.

"I, I want you…inside," she said softly, cringing at the wanton words.

He inclined his head. "Patience," he said quietly, brushing her hair away from her face.

He set the lily to her skin again – this time, on her hip. He traced small circles on her hipbones, but did not brush the lily across her wet core like she wanted.

As she writhed with her need, she felt the lily petals warm to her skin and become like warm cream, like an embrace. Instinctively, she took up a handful from underneath her and dropped them onto her breasts and belly, a few at a time. Their scent was sweet and light and enflamed her senses.

She thought she heard it but maybe she hadn't: an echoing sigh from the high roof of the church.

At last, Cloud had reached the center of her arousal. She glanced over to his arousal: as erect as ever. _Soon_, she consoled herself, but she softly moaned in anticipation.

To her surprise and utter delight, Cloud leaned down and kissed her aching nubbin. Tifa cried out and grasped his wrist holding the lily.

"Once more," Tifa said.

Cloud smiled his acquiescence and laid the lily between her breasts. When his lips touched her nether lips, the muscles in her legs and hips tightened and her breathing became fast. She was _so _close. His tongue flicked in and out between the smaller set of lips, and, only a few times, rubbed that tiny button.

Without warning, she felt her orgasm rise and peak. Tifa squeezed bunches of lilies in her hands as she cried out in short pants.

When she opened her eyes again, Cloud looked quite proud of himself. He did not say a word, but shucked off his pants. Tifa rocked herself up as best as she could and gave his length several long, hard strokes.

_Good to see you again, stranger, _Tifa thought wryly.

Cloud's breaths came harsh and fast. Tifa directed his hips to come closer to hers and in three short pushes, he was inside her, filling and stretching her.

His legs tightly straddled hers and his moans were loud. He clung to her shoulders tightly as they tenderly crushed the lilies and petals between them. Cloud began to move and Tifa dug her heels into the ground, lilies brushing the inside of his and her thighs.

Despite his needful sighs, he set a lazy pace, at first. Tifa thought to help him and wriggled her hips, but Cloud's legs efficiently caged hers.

"Let me take a walk in your shoes for a moment," he said, stopping his thrusts. "What is it like to have me inside you?"

_Anything to get you _moving _again! _Tifa thought.

"Hard," she replied, the strain in her voice quite audible, "long…"

Cloud was visibly pleased and set a new pace, faster than the one before.

"What else?" He whispered into her ear.

"You fill me until I can feel anything else," she moaned. He thrust even faster.

"Which part of this do you like best?" He asked with a hint of wickedness in his voice.

Tifa couldn't think, so she blurted the first thing that came to her mind. She was too close to coming.

"When you come, your voice is so…"

He began pushing in and out hard, clearly reaching his limit.

"…hot," Tifa finished just as Cloud came, his cry long and strangled. He embraced her tightly as he rode out his orgasm. Her words served to push her over the limit once more, and her scream competed with his for volume.

Shaking and boneless, Tifa lightly kissed Cloud's lips.

"I think you enjoyed walking in my shoes better than I liked walking in yours," she said.

Cloud sleepily nodded and kissed her back. He laid his head her chest. She murmured, "I love you."

His words were slurred with weariness, nonetheless: "I love you."

If they had stopped to listen and look, they might have seen two people sitting in the rafters, one swinging her crossed legs and curling her hair over her fingers while looking down at the couple in the lilies, the other gazing down in disbelief.

"Your _flowers_, Aeris!" Zack exclaimed.

She laughed merrily and waved his horror away. "The flowers will be fine," she said. Then she looked at him with mischief in her eyes. "I think we ought to try the same thing sometime."


End file.
